by Ronald Toito’ona
The Solomon Islands National Team secured a 2-0 victory over the Solomon Islands Development Team in their second match of the MSG Prime Minister’s Cup 2024 at Lawson Tama Stadium.
However, head coach Josh Smith expressed dissatisfaction with his team’s performance, citing inconsistency and lack of energy, especially in the first half.
“I’m happy for the boys to at least get the three points, but in terms of their performance, I am not overly impressed,” Smith said. “We didn’t give any energy, we didn’t make passes, and we didn’t stick to what we had spoken about. That’s a learning experience we have to take.”
Smith commended individual performances in the second half, including players like Martin Koto, Atkin Kaua, and Raphael Lea’i who brought energy and impact to the game.
Yet, he emphasized the need for a more consistent approach and better control during matches.
“If we want to be a team that wins things, we need to be more consistent and approach these games smarter. Conditions were difficult, but we need to improve and be a team that is consistently good in Oceania,” Smith added.
Looking ahead to their next match against Papua New Guinea, Smith stressed the importance of reassessment and rewarding players based on performance.
He also pointed out that the playing conditions at Lawson Tama Stadium presented challenges, and he is looking forward to playing quality football when the games are hosted at the National Stadium next week.
“The surface of the pitch at the National Stadium will allow us to play a certain way, which we probably struggled with today.”
Despite the loss, Development Team coach Stanley Waita was upbeat about his side’s performance. He praised his players, particularly 16-year-old Kennedy Sihiu, who he believes is one of the country’s future stars.
“I am really happy with the performance of the boys today. The boys did as planned in the first half. In the second half, the National Team added an extra forward, and our boys didn’t switch on. We lacked discipline, and that’s why they scored,” Waita explained.
Waita remains optimistic about their chances against Vanuatu on Sunday.
“We are not out of the competition. We have watched Vanuatu, and we’ll analyze our game to improve.”
ENDS//
